ORANGE SHIRTS IN SOLIDARITY
UFP Parking Lot, Thurs Sept 30, 6:30-7:00pm
 Join us in recognizing National Truth and Reconciliation Day in Nogojiwanong/ Peterborough. Show up in your orange shirt to demonstrate our collective solidarity and to remember the impacts of residential schools and the ones who did not return home.
We'll gather in front of UFP for some brief reflections and will take a group photo. All attending will get a copy of the photo to use in social media to center Indigenous issues.
Please wear a mask and self-screen before coming. If you're not feeling well, please send your blessings from home. You may also wish to attend the Friendship Centre's sacred fire that day from 12-3 pm at their location, 580 Cameron Street.
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This Sunday:
Sept 26th at 10:00am
GETTING TO THE TRUTH WAS HARD; GETTING TO RECONCILIATION WILL BE HARDER
NOTE that we’re joining First Unitarian Hamilton this week. Their service begins at 10:30 am.
Join UFP Coffee Time at 10am here: https://tinyurl.com/UFPsundayservice
Join the service at 10:30am here:
https://uuhamilton.ca/online-worship/
Invite your friends!
Over the past few years, all Canadians have been faced with truths about our country’s past and the distortions of its history. To be sure these lies, omissions and distortions have been known by Indigenous peoples for generations. Faced with these truths, how do we as settlers begin to reconcile? Perhaps first to listen and educate ourselves.
We will hear how Hamilton congregant Paula Bourner learned of her own truth, and struggles to reconcile.
Our speaker for this service is Brenda Jacobs, the Cultural Capacity Trainer at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre. The Hamilton Regional Indian Centre is an Indigenous organization which was established in 1972 after people felt there was a need for a “Gathering Place”. Today, there are over 30 programs and services to help support all stages of life. As is the custom in Indigenous Cultures, Brenda will introduce herself at the beginning of her talk.
At the end of the service, Brenda will share the work of the Centre and answer questions from the congregation.
Speaker: Brenda Jacobs
Join the 10:00 coffee hour here: https://tinyurl.com/UFPsundayservice
Join the 10:30 service here: https://uuhamilton.ca/online-worship/
Find the dial in instructions for coffee hour HERE.
Invite your friends!
Religious Exploration: We welcome families (kids and parents) to come together with Leah at 11:30 Sunday at https://tinyurl.com/mindshandshearts. We’ll connect with some ritual and sharing, and spend some time getting to know each other. See This Month in RE for more.
Special Collection: For the month of September, we’ve chosen PARN, our community AIDS resource network, as the recipient of our special collection. PARN is a community based agency providing support and health promotion for people HIV-infected and HIV-affected. PARN provides education for people at risk for HIV and awareness of HIV issues to the broader community.
Our donations will help ensure that PARN can continue to provide this service for our community. More information about how to donate is at https://parn.ca/get-involved/donate/
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Video of this past Sunday's service.
Our recent services are here.
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A COMMUNITY FOR
EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK
Zoom links for our Sunday service and all programs can be found HERE.
Keep connections alive by joining our private Facebook group (Rev. Julie will invite you to join). Share joys, sorrows, questions, pictures, and invitations to watch parties, or book discussions, or other activities.
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Upcoming UFP Events
SERVING WITH SPIRIT LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP DAY
Saturday, October 2, 11:30am–7:30 pm
(Registration Deadline is Sept. 26th)
All are invited to join fellow Canadian UUs to explore together
• identifying leadership gifts and welcoming ways to express them
• finding creative expression for UU values
• building skills so that our structures reflect our UU principles
More information is available HERE.
Sliding Scale Registration fee of $25-55, and subsidies available by asking Rev. Julie.
SMALL OUTDOOR "MEETUPS"
The Connections Team is hosting some small in-person UFP gatherings. Here are two options to start:
1) An outdoor drumming circle in the courtyard at UFP
2) Coffee and chatting in one of the local parks (bring your own coffee and chair if possible)
Please respond to Kathy McLay at kthmclay@gmail.com. Gatherings are scheduled with those who have expressed interest. Of course, we'll practice covid safety. .
It'll be fun! Waiting to hear from you!
PLANNING A UFP-SANCTIONED ACTIVITY?
Please consult the Safe Gathering Team (formerly the Covid Standards committee) as you start your planning.
The Step 3 protocol is HERE.
The Safe Gathering Team would like to help those planning UFP activities to ensure provincial, local and UFP covid safety standards are part of the planning process. Any activity, event, or member gatherings that are planned to include any UFP members who would like to participate and that would usually be announced Sunday mornings or included in “The Flame” would be considered a UFP sanctioned activity. Read more...
CONNECTING CIRCLES
Connecting Circles meet about twice monthly for an hour of sharing and mutual support. Some groups are continuing to meet over the summer.
If you want to be part of a circle, contact Rev. Julie.
THIS WEEK'S WALK, BY MARGEREE EDWARDS
Margeree is taking a break this summer. Take a look at the long list of ideas for walking (or walking and swimming) HERE.
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UFP News
REV JULIE AWAY
Rev. Julie is taking a week off in each of the next few months. She will be away Sept 20-27, but will be checking email/text for any urgent messages.
REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP; STORAGE SPACE NEEDED
Your Refugee Sponsorship Committee has undertaken to sponsor an extended family of Afghan refugees consisting of 8 people. The family has taken refuge in Tijikistan, and it will take some time for the Canadian authorities to grant final approval for them to immigrate to Peterborough. Meanwhile, we have received a generous offer of furniture and household items, and currently have a need for storage space for these items. Some of the larger items include coffee tables, end tables, floor lamps, stools, etc. If you have space and can help us out, please contact Linda Herold by Sept 28th at lindaherold7@gmail.com
We currently have most of the funds needed for this sponsorship, but going forward we will still need to raise another $20,000. We will be appealing to the generosity of the UFP community and the larger community to find more donations. Any amount is appreciated. Donations can be made through the UFP office, and donations over $20 will be tax receipted. Details to follow in future Flames.
BOOK CLUB FOR OCTOBER
In October, the book club is reading Isabel Wilkerson's Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. More info is HERE.
FREE VEGETABLES AVAILABLE
The Al Mubarak family garden has produced an abundance of hot peppers and tomatoes, and they are offering these vegetables for free. Khalid is happy to deliver to your home. If interested, please email Khalid at khalidalmubark0@gmail.com
UPDATED DIRECTORY
The UFP Members Directory has been updated. It is available HERE. The password has not changed. If you are a member or friend listed in the directory, contact the office to get the password.
PLANNED GIVING PROGRAM
Members and friends of UFP have a long history of giving planned gifts to the Fellowship – assets people have given generously both while they are alive, such as the recent campaign for the lift, or have chosen to bequeath to us through their estates.
Planned gifts can be put to immediate use by UFP, and they can also be invested to help sustain the Fellowship over the long-term. UFP’s Finance Committee has been working to formalize this important area of giving, and recently updated our Planned Giving page on our website. An introduction to this new program will be provided at this Sunday’s service, September 19.
How is UFP making a difference in your life, the lives of others, our community and the world? What inspires you to give a planned gift to UFP?
WEEKLY WALKING BUDDIES
While the weather is still nice, if you're looking for a walking buddy, or buddies, add your name, or reach out to someone HERE. Be sure to attend to the latest health guidelines!
GIFT CARD SALES
We have a variety of grocery, gas and retail cards available for sale!! Orders are being processed for delivery or pickup on Tuesday, September 28th but earlier orders are accepted also.
We will also be selling cards in person at the courtyard of the Fellowship on the afternoon of either September 25th or 26th. Check for details in next week’s Flame or on our Facebook page!
As always, proceeds from sales directly benefit the Fellowship.
To purchase cards, please contact Francesca Warriner (Cesca) at 705-743-0795 or by email francescawarriner@gmail.com.
Note that the address for e-transfer payments for gift cards has changed to: payforgiftcards@peterboroughunitarian.ca.
We appreciate and thank you for your continued support.
SEEKING JOB AND LIFE COACH
An outgoing and personable young man with an intellectual disability is looking for an assistant to help him manage his successful interior car cleaning business, as well as assist him in living interdependently in his own apartment. The day and early evening hours vary from 6 – 22 a week, depending on your availability. The position provides the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life and the wage is competitive. For more information please contact Lucinda Hage, 705 931-9798 or headsup@sympatico.ca by Sept 30.
CALCULATE YOUR COVID RISK
The Safe Gathering Committee recommends calculating your covid risk at https://covidvisitrisk.com. It is a tool that can be used to help decide the risk of attending certain events or visiting with others. It was developed by the National Institute on Aging. More info is HERE.
SYRIAN TEENS SEEK OUTDOOR WORK
Yousef and Suleman, the teenage sons of the Al Mubarak family who our Refugee Sponsorship Team helped to settle in 2020, are available to help with any yard work and lawn mowing on weekdays at 4 pm and Saturdays and Sundays.
Please contact the family directly at khalidalmubark0@gmail.com
TRY THE DIFFERENT TASTE OF ALIEU!
Alieu (one of our newcomers) would like to cook for you! Yummy vegetarian or meat dishes with peanut or yassa sauce, cooked to your spicy-meter. Check out how to order HERE.
E-TRANSFERS
If you choose to give in this way, use bookkeeper@peterboroughunitarian.ca noting the purpose/intention of your donation. And you can still use CanadaHelps to make any donations, or send us a cheque at the address below. Thank you.
FLAME DEADLINE
Submissions for the Flame are due each Friday at noon. They go to Ben at uu.ptbo@gmail.com.
JOYS OR SORROWS TO SHARE?
We grow together by sharing about our lives. If you have personal news to share with our broader community, email Rev. Julie to have it added to UFPeople, a page on our website that cannot be found except through a link in The Flame.
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Working for Justice
DAY OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre is hosting a drop-in event on September 30th, 12pm-3pm. Events include readings from Phyllis Webstad's book The Orange Shirt Story at 12:20 and 2:30.
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Our Wider Community
More information about all of these is available on our website.
Support for 2SLGBTQIAA+ students
Monthly Peace Vigil
Community Art-Making hosted by Creating Space
Thursdays 3-6pm
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